The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-14
A BRAVE OLD AUNTY.
Amanda Barker Prevents a Lightning Ex-
press from Dashing Into Chasm.

Amanda Barker Prevents a Lightning Ex-
press from Dashing Into a Chasm.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
News of what, but for timely Intervention,
might have been an accident similar to the ter
rible wreck at Chatswortn, ILL.,, on Thursday
morning, was brought to the city yesterday
morning by some travellers. At about the same
hour the dreadful calamity occurred at Chats
worth, Amanda Barker, an aged negress. was
walking along the track of the Cincinnati, Ham
ilton g. indianapolis road, Glenwood,
Ind, on her way to farmhouse, where she
was to work during the day. She had just
passed the small station at Glenwood, which IS
a lonely. dismal spot between Indianapolis and
Connersvllle frequented only occasionally by
the farmers living around. when on turning a
sharp curve in the road. she was Mortified to see
some distance ahead the smolderng remains
of what had a short while before been stout,
substantial bridge connecting embankments $50
feet apart, and spanning a chasm ninety-five
feet deep. The bridge had evidently been
burning during the entire night, for the super
structure entirely eaten away by the fire.
and only few weak timbers and the three stone
piers were left to tell the tale.
The old nesress could not collect herself for
several moments, but it suddenly dawned upon
her that train generally passed that point some
time in the early morning. she had idea
what time it was or when the train was DUE but
she knew that it was rast one and never
stopped at Glenwood. She turned her steps
backward intending TO flag the train at the sta
tion but had gone scarcely hundred yards
when she heard the shrill scream of the whistle,
as she thought directly ahead of her. 1t was
wood at 5:45 o'clock. She tried as hard as she
could TO get around the bend which obstructed
the train from view, all the time tearing and
Juggling away at the old brown apron she wore,
flag. Stumbling ana falling. she was
kept back considerably. but she finally
broke the apronstrIngs. which never seemed so
tightly tied before, and almost dropping to the
earth with sheer exhaustion. she rounded the
bend and saw the train laundering down upon
her, only few hundred feet ahead. The burn
ing bridge was about the same distance behind
her, and she knew that to let the train pass
meant certain death to many of the souls on
board. Raising the improvlsed flag high above
her head. she forgot her exhaustion, and waved
it frantcally standing in the center of the track
where her presence could not go unnoticed. For
a while it seemed to her that no one saw her.
but she kept her position, determined to stop
the train die on the track
At last the engineer her and reversed his
his engine bringing it to a standstill a few
yards in front of the old woman.
Leaning out of the cab window and thinking
the negress drunk crazy, he called OUT
''Well. well, what Is itF
"For Gods sake, mister" she answered
Don't go any further. The bridge is burned
down. and it is right in front of you; indeed it
is.
The train men by this time had been attracted
by the stoppage at this outof-the-way place to
the front of the train, and from the sincerity of
the old woman, believed her story. A number
of them followed her around the bend and there
verified the truth of her statement. All of the
passengers were around the spot in a short while,
been they could scarcely speak A large purse
made up for their benefactress. but she
positively refused to take any money.
and said she was too happy to touch
anything, that money would only
make her feel bad again. When
every one on the train was congratulating them
selves their narrow escape. the old neeress
became so happy that she burst into tears, and
was so joyful for a while that she Rugged
eral of the ladies and gentlemen and danced ar
old-fashoned jig. No one interfered with her
in her hllarity, and when one of tine ladies
ticed the apron she still carried in her hand, and
how it was torn and ruined, she produced from
her satchel in the car a lawn wrapper and begged
the old neeress who model of neatness. to
wear it. She accepted the dress, and when the
passengers saw she would take this kind of
gift. garments of all kinds sizes and shapes
were showered upon her by the grateful passer-
gers, and she seemed more pleased than il she
had been the first lady in the land.
After waiting for six hours, a train met the de
layed one the opposite side of the track. and
the passengers were hurried on to their destina-
ton. It is supposed that the bridge. which was
a heavy wooden one. and very dry from the in
tense heat of the weather. caught fire from the
sparks dropped by freight engine the night be-
fore the accident observed. The damage
will amount to $4,000 it is thought and falls
upon the c.. Ell. 81 D. road which operates the
c., Fl. g. /. 1t is said that effort will be made
to present old Aunt Amanda" with something
substantial If the names of all the passengers
hn rad